It is known to provide a cache device that includes cache storage having a plurality of cache ways, thus enabling the cache device to operate as a set associative cache (where a set comprises a corresponding entry in each of the ways).
It is sometimes desirable to provide a cache feature that can selectively be applied to a certain number of the cache ways. With this in mind, the available cache ways may be organised into a number of way groups, so that the cache feature can be applied to one or more of the way groups.
Whilst this can allow certain energy consumption or performance benefits to be realised dependent on the type of feature, it can give rise to an issue where multiple cache features are implemented, each of which may be applied to individual way groups. In particular, certain actions taken by one cache feature can interfere with the ability of the other cache feature to operate as intended.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a mechanism that improves support for multiple cache features that may be applied to way groups within a cache storage.